the 2nd ever Tat-ilicious giveaway!

So, I want to give away some more of my thread.  This time around, the winner can pick any of the new threads that are about to be put in my shop.  Livi is busy taking pictures of her beanie baby, or I'd upload the new pictures I just took of them.  To do this, I am just going to save one of each of the different colors until after the giveaway.  BUT since I can't possibly have a giveaway with only one winner... everyone will be a winner in a way.
I am offering a coupon for 35% in my etsy shop. The coupon code is "blogreader".  This coupon will be active until Sunday night 11:59 pm (central standard time).  Basically, that covers shipping. But since I don't have to pay etsy fees on shipping costs, it makes more sense to discount the actually product, for this special.  ALSO, please be careful when entering this coupon.  I have no idea how to fix that sort of issue, so I would really rather not have to, you know what I mean?

I'm not running this "special" because there is anything wrong with my thread.  I just really want my thread to get out there and into the hands of tatters that will enjoy it.  I love seeing photos of items tatted with the threads I've dyed.
Sorry if you read about these threads the other day.  These photos are of the same threads, just updated pictures...

SO.... comment on this post to enter the giveaway.  I will use the random generator on Saturday afternoon to get the winner.  That way the other threads can go in the shop to be used with the coupon.

Well...look at that... while typing this up, Livi got done with her photo shoot, so here are the new threads that are being put in my shop and likewise the options for the winner of the giveaway to choose from:
There's also one more that is also a choice, which is size 40, just like the red, blue, light blue, but instead of whiteish, it has hot pink.

This one has two of my new dyes in it, Rose Red and Rust Brown.  Personally, it reminds me of  a cowboy, so I guess it'll just be "Western" (which would be contrast to "pink western which is pictured below) these are size 20. 

Blue and light blue.. size 20, these are only about 25 yards though:

Pink Western comes in size 20 and size 40.  But remember from the previous post, the 40 are most "spotty" or "stonewashed" while the 20s are I guess "richer"... 

Size 20 red, blue, light blue and white-ish lol:

 These brown/pink/reddish ones are all size 40.  You like the little bit of edging adapted from a pattern in The Tatter's Treasure Chest.  This will either be a bracelet or, part of a mat.  I haven't decided yet.

and here are a couple of pictures from Livi's photoshoot:

Rainbow-licious Glass Mat is finish, and oh so pretty!

I've got to admit, this pattern (Konior's Spinning Wheel Glass Mat) is really pretty. Not only that, but it's a lot of fun to tat and it looks especially wonderful in my own HDT size 40 Rainbow-licious. :o)

So, now I must study for the small Italian quiz I have in the morning.  It shouldn't be too hard, but it's always good to practice. 

Coming up next for tatting, I reserved for myself some the black and pinkish purple size 80 (or "Laila", which I actually did not name after my cat, Layla... I got the name off one of the Baby name sites lol).  I'm going to find the perfect project for some of it. The "plan" is to use a pattern from one of the three new books I got in the mail the other day! :o)

Does anyone have any tips on how to get this 3-D??

It's Rosa Frivola by Mary Konior, from Tatting with Visual Patterns.  I love this book. Even though I have gotten other books, this one is my favorite.  I actually ordered one of her out of print books, but since it's coming from the U.K., and even though it was shipped last week, I have a feeling it could be forever until it gets here.  Oh well, it'll be worth the wait :o)  

But, back to the question at hand.  I have 9 petals, the last three look pretty awful, so I didn't go out of my way to get them in the scan. I figure they'll be in the center of the flower lol.  I've starched it, but it's still hard to get it to look right. BUT it does say in the book that it'll take some practice.  I want to put it on a crochet cap that I got for my baby neice, Chloe.  That means that I want to get it to sit right and not move once it's set.  Also, I'm looking into how to get it attached to the cap in such a way that my sister in law (Chris's sister), can remove it from the cap when the cap gets dirty, because I already know that she's not going to want fluff this thing back up. For that part of my problem, I'm thinking maybe a button attachment.  I was thinking a pin bar backing, but I would absolutely hate (and I do not use the "h" word") myself if it ever came loose and stuck her. 

So, any suggestions on 1) how to get it to actually look like a flower and stay looking like a flower. 2) how to attach it a crochetted cap in a removable fashion.

You ALL are so wonderful with your suggestions.  I really do appreciate every comment that y'all post on my little blog :o) 

On another note... Aren't the colors gorgeous??  This is the pastel rainbow that I have a size 40 and size 80  skein of in my shop.  This is in size 40.  This pattern however took a lot of thread.  More than I thought it would.  Luckily, these skeins are the ones that were closer to 65 - 70 yards, so even though I made this thing, and a couple other little things that didn't pan out, I still have quite a bit of this thread left for myself.

Well, I lied.

Yesterday (or was it the day before?) But anywho... I said I was working on a snowflake... but then as I was whiping around the 5th corner, I realized that I was running out of thread, so I made a star.  This works out because Livi wanted a star anyway. :o) I don't think she really understands the concept of a snowflake.  (We do live in the south, and she's only seen snow once or twice).

Lene Bjorn's 9th day of December (but with as a star instead of a snowflake) from 24 Snowflakes in Tatting

I really like how the star turned out.  I really like holding it up to the light and looking at the silhouette of it, but I'll have to figure how to capture that before I can post it :o)

Moving forward:

So, I loved the Ninth of December so much, that I just had to try another snowflake.  However I am in the last lap (as they say) of the semester, so I don't get to tat everything I like as it takes away from crucial studying time, but I did start the Third of December: I'm going to do the outside row in Lizbeth 684 (Leaf Green I think... not the light, I guess it's medium) But this part is in Lizbeth size 20 Victorian Red:

And I tatted this actually a few weeks ago, but never got around to posting it.  Prob because it took me working on it off and on for a few weeks and then I lost the piece and the two shuttles I was working on it with for like a week. But anyway, it's the MK Glass mat.  Lizbeth size 80 Pink Cocoa.  As you may notice, I didn't go by the pattern verbatim and I actually did not forget to attach the last middle ring, I actually was just not paying attention and attached originally to the wrong ring and just cut it.  I may go back and sew this together.  Also, this is scanned on index cards because I felt bad that I hadn't hid the ends on this piece even though it's been done now for so long.  So, I just draped the loose ends between two index cards and scanned.  Pretty sneaky huh?  ;o)

I call it "The Livi Leaf"....

Livi: because that's my baby's name (well, her name is Olivia, but I call her Livi)
Leaf: because that's what it looks like.

I did this one in Lizbeth size 20 Seagreen (dk I think).

Here's the pattern:  

Do you think method of diagram is easy to understand?  I distorted it a little, but only because I thought it might be easier to read the numbers that way. I know I can't hardly understand written out patterns, but I love diagrams, and I have a drawing program, but it would be a hassle at this time and place to get to (hook up my other computer, blah, blah, blah...)

Anyway, tell me if you try it. Especially if you like it, but even if you don't I would love suggestions!

update:*** I've just noticed that distorted it looks a lot like the maple leaf pattern.  So, I felt the need to add that I was inspired by the Maple Leaf that Tammy Rodgers diagrammed, but I was trying to go for something a little more narrow... so that I can put two of them together maybe coupled with red beads... like mistletoe maybe??****

Awww.... how cute...

So I've been looking for the Tammy Rodger's Maple leaf pattern/ diagram for awhile and every time I would just find a bunch of dead links. So, when I found it today I made sure to print it out :o)

So, here it is.... I left out all the non joining picots... it's size 80 Pink Cocoa.  It's so cute... and measures in at ~1 in X 2in.... so it's super tiny...

I don't really like what I did with the tail.... but other than that little bit I just think it's darling!

Yes I can!!

So, not that I actually think anyone has just been sitting on the edge of their seats to see this but...  here is overdue update on my Yes U can doily:

Over all... I really like it. It was a little difficult to sew in the ends but I managed, and it feels pretty stable, so that's good.  I really like the colors.  I don't know why but I've been craving yellows. Maybe it's the fall season?

And this tiny thing I managed to tat while waiting at the doctor's office today.  It's Lizbeth size 80 Grape Splash.  It's SOO cute! Oh, and if you don't recognize it, it's Dress Trim by Mary Konior.

I really LOVE the Mary Konior book and all the patterns in it... but I'm looking forward to trying out new books in the future.  That's what I'm asking Santa for this year :o) especially since he's already been asking what I want. Any suggestions??

Yes U Can update... somewhat

I have not abandoned my Yes U can doily, but I did just realize that I didn't do a "complete" bare thread row. And because I didn't do a complete one, I can do half of the next row with out attaching it to the previous row, if that makes any sense.  So I decided to try out one of the flower motifs.... but it looks so tiny, but maybe that's just because I'm only seeing one of them....

I added the whole ball for a reference on size, does it look right?
Also, does anyone else leave their balls in the bags or is that just me? I like it better that way... big chunks of thread don't come off and get tangled this way.
Also, I've just realized that I haven't shown a picture of  the bare thread row which is complete now, but I don't have time to scan it right now.... its back to studying for me :o)

UPDATE: lol I just realized that I made an error while making one of the last joins. I was wondering why it looked somewhat lopsided.  Still cute mind you :o) but... Go figure.

Some fall break...

I'm being tested tomorrow on my knowledge of acetylcholine (along with nicotinic receptors and muscarinic receptors), epinephrine, norepinephrine, isoproterenol, and dopamine, and opiods, and CNS depressants and stimulants.... Pharamacology sounds fun doesn't it? I got a whole list of other fancy words I need to study for my microbiology lab midterm tomorrow too.... And blow me down and call me shorty... by golly I got me a BioOrganic test on Thursday.  It must be my lucky week :o) That lovely test will be on Nucleic Acids... woohoo!

But even with all the studying, I did manage to tat this lovely thing this weekend.  It's 2 pieces of the pattern Flower Patch by Mary Konior, in Lizbeth size 40 Mountain Breeze.  I want to do at least 2 more and make it a bookmark... but I may do a mat of it... who knows?

Hair Clips

So, I mentioned these the other day, well... one of them anyways.  I liked it so much that I did another one but with a different pattern.  The Zebra one with the greenish button is the pattern that I blogged about on my last post.  But the confetti colored one is the Mary Konior Rosette that was on one of her patterns. I can't remember the name though. Until I get an actual camera, I can only show scans. Scans are nice and all but for something like a hair clip, being able to see the actual three dimensional shape is also nice.
Livi wore the Zebra one to school today and I wore the confetti one today. We both got compliments :o)
Also, the hair clips have 3 holes in them so I just sewed the tatting onto the hair clip via those holes. :o)  My mom thinks I should also glue them on the back just to be sure, but I'm a little apprehensive to do so just because I don't want the glue to ruin (discolor) my tatting in the long run.

Scanner problems...

So, I wanted to post some pictures of this motif that I came up with that I've been somewhat obsessed with, just "perfecting" it I guess.  Here is a picture I took of it in Lizbeth size 80 Grape Spash.  (One of the new colors... I love it, the photo does not do it justice) Unfortunately my scanner has decided to not work today, so I took the picture using my webcam... so, I'm sorry that quality is not so great.

I've done it in some other colors and other sizes as well.... once I can figure out what I'm doing wrong with my scanner, I'll post some pictures.

The general pattern however is:

2 shuttles

R1: 6-4-4-6

Ch1: 6-6

RoCh1: 6-6-6

Ch2:6-6

R2(shuttle 1): 6 + (to R1) 4-4-6

R3(shuttle 2): 6+(to Ch2) 6+(To RoCh1)6-6-6-6

Ch3: 6+ (to R3) 6

RoCh2: 6+ (to R3) 6-6

Ch4: 6-6

R4: 6+ (to R2) 6-6

Ch5: 3-3

R1: 6+ (to R4) 4-4-6

What do you think about it?  I think's it's cute... but I'd like to hear some feedback from others.